Love of a phenex

chapter 2

Riser woke up to find Riana nestled against him, her arms wrapped around him, her expression peaceful. Gently, he eased himself out of her embrace, careful not to wake her, and grabbed his backpack. Taking a few cans of food, he went outside to gather more sticks.

He arranged the sticks into a small pile and ignited them with his powers, creating a modest fire. The smell of heating food soon drifted through the air, rousing Riana. She stepped outside, drawn by the enticing aroma, and found Riser tending to the fire. The scent of real food made her mouth water.

Riser glanced up and patted the ground beside him. “Come sit,” he invited with a small smile. “The food’s almost ready.”

She accepted his offer, settling down next to him. Riser poured some warm soup into a bowl, using a few of the dishes he had taken from his family before leaving. Handing her the bowl, he watched as Riana took a small, tentative sip. Tears welled up in her eyes as she savored the taste, far better than anything she’d scrounged from the trash.

Riser smiled, happy to see her enjoying the meal. They ate together, and each time Riana asked for more, he gladly shared, filling her bowl again and again.

With Rias

Rias woke up, and the first thing she did was reach for the book. With every page, she felt the weight of Riser’s suffering under his family’s expectations—a burden far greater than her own, which was merely to be a respectable heir. Riser had endured so much more. A deep sadness washed over her as she continued reading.

One page described his heartbreak over his peerage, how they’d dismissed his pain, ignoring his suffering and leaving him behind like trash. Riser had truly cared for them, especially his sister, cherishing each member of his peerage with genuine love. Yet, to them, he was little more than a nuisance, a burden they could discard without a second thought.

Suddenly, Rias felt someone’s gaze over her shoulder. She looked back to see Koneko peering at the book, confusion flickering across her usually stoic face. Rias quickly shut the book, going silent.

“What are you doing here?” Rias asked, keeping her tone calm.

“I was curious why you’re not downstairs yet,” Koneko replied, her expression returning to its usual calm, unreadable look.

Rias nodded and followed Koneko downstairs, her crimson hair flowing gracefully behind her. As they entered the dining area of the Hyoudou residence, she took a seat beside Issei, who greeted her with a warm smile.

“Good morning, Buchou. How are you this morning?” he asked.

Rias returned his smile. “I’m doing fine,” she replied softly.

Soon, Kiba brought over their breakfast, and everyone began to eat. Yet, every so often, Rias found herself pausing, her thoughts drifting back to the book and the revelations about Riser. She’d never realized the depths of his suffering, the burdens he’d carried alone.

"Riser… What other pains and secrets are you hiding?" she wondered, feeling a pang of worry that surprised her. She hadn’t expected to care so deeply about him, yet here she was, unable to shake the concern lingering in her heart.

Back to riser

Riser and Riana were walking quietly through the forest when he spotted a group of rogue devils up ahead. He quickly motioned for Riana to hide, then crept closer to overhear their conversation.

“Where is that girl!?” one of the devils snarled, his eyes flaring a sharp blue.

“Why are you asking me?” snapped another. “Those fallen idiots probably scared her off!”